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1912 - In Montgomery with Casey Stengel

Source: http://www.montgomeryadvertiser.com/specialreports/Biscuits/StorySportshallrail16o.htmMontgomery connection in the Baseball Hall of FameCasey Stengel, whose 50 years in baseball was marked by colorful antics and World Series victories, almost was fired before reaching the big leagues.In 1912, Stengel was playing left field for the Montgomery Billikens in a preseason game in Pensacola, Fla.Stengel's interest in vaudeville acts first found a baseball outlet when he discovered an easily liftable large manhole cover.At the start of the game, Stengel climbed into the manhole and waited to spring his joke. One fly ball later, Stengel had drawn the crowd's applause and his coach's wrath."I stood up holding the lid over my head like a shield," Stengel said, according to a 1976 biography by Norman MacLean."But it was heavier than I had imagined, and I staggered around under the load, hoping the ball wouldn't hit me on the head. At the last second, I reached out with one hand and grabbed the ball."Stengel kept his job and hit .290 in 136 games with Montgomery. The Brooklyn Dodgers called him up to the major leagues in September.His major league playing career ended in 1925, but his time in baseball was just starting.[Note: Kid ELberfeld was with Casey Stengel in Montgomery. See notes on Kid's Influence on him. Other sites list the team as the Montgomery Rebels in 1912. (1912 Rebels Southern Association) http://www.biscuitsbaseball.com/genhist.html ]